of every week was devoted by himself and his
wife (whose living example was "such as becometh woman possessing
godliness,") to visiting in rotation the families of his congregation;
and so well timed was this custom, that the farmers' wives could
calculate each her honored turn to a day; so that the substantial
hospitalities of a generous board were added to the warm welcomes of
heart and hand.

Besides the neat parsonage reared for the minister and his increasing
family, he was, through the generosity of his parishioners, the owner
of an old-fashioned chaise, and a horse gentle and well-ordered as his
master. These were always in requisition on visiting afternoons; and a
right comfortable sight it was to see the minister and his wife
jogging along over the smooth roads, blessing all they passed with the
smile of true benignity, and receiving the heart's blessing of all in
return; while the good dame to whose dwelling their course was
directed, having all things in readiness for the pastoral visitation,
stationed one of her cleanly-attired children at the window, to watch
for the first appearance of the reverend chaise wending up the lane to
the farm-house, at which signal, with beaming eyes, the child hastened
to open the gate, dreaming in the simplicity of her rosyhood, of no
greater honor than to usher in the respected pair. On these occasions
the farmer usually left the field, and donned his Sunday suit, the
good wife appeared in her best cap and snowy kerchief, and the maid
came from the dairy, with tidy apron, to claim her seat in the snug
parlor, that alike they might sit under the lips that dropped wisdom
for all. Then, when they gathered around the lengthened table, the
pastor's blessing was music in their ears, and supper being over, his
elongated prayer, comprehending the wants of each, and all, closed the
privileges of the pastor's visit. Mr. Worthiman was equally
satisfactory in his visits at the bedside of the sick--in his
consolations to the dying, and his sympathy in the house of mourning.
The aged leaned on him for support--the middle-aged walked hand in
hand with his counsels, and the young looked up to him for guidance;
while no austerity on his part forbade the merriment of their sports:
so far from this, it was his custom at weddings, after a salutation to
the bride, and a commendation of the bride's loaf, to take early
leave, lest his presence should restrain the music and dancing that
usually sum